The present invention relates generally to foundry equipment and more particularly to a foundry molding machine for the production of mold halves in mold boxes. The invention particularly relates to a device for separating the mold halves from the pattern devices utilized in the production of the mold halves. The device to which the invention relates is of the type having a generally vertically extending cylinder including a piston rod which carries an extension connected to the piston rod and which is guided so that it may be raised and lowered whereby clamping devices on the extension may operate to engage in clamping relationship the mold boxes.
In the prior art there are known lifting and turning devices of a type which will deliver mold boxes to a molding machine and which will convey finished mold halves away from the machine. In such devices, the mold halves are usually lifted off the pattern devices in the formation of the mold halves.
Although devices of this type generally operate with reliability, in certain cases damage occurs when the mold member or mold half being formed is lifted from the pattern device. Generally, it has been found that the damage which occurs results mainly in pattern devices which are relatively insignificantly tapered and when the production process involves the production of molds with sand bales. Essentially, the invention is directed toward providing an approach which will enable operation of the lifting and turning device in a manner whereby during lifting of the mold halves relative movements between the mold boxes and the pattern devices which do not occur in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the pattern will be prevented or avoided. The invention thus seeks to enable more stable movement of the mold half off the pattern device with relative movement of the mold half occurring in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the pattern device until the mold half has been completely released from the pattern device.